The Valiant Experimentalist of the Here & Now

Are good actors always good models?

- Charmaine Tan

In theory, yes, since comfortably emoting for film seems to be a more demanding version of posing for pictures. It is not a stretch to posit that acting would translate into an automatic mastery of the latter.

In reality, acting is more about the sincere portrayal of characters in fictitious settings than showing who the actors are themselves. It is one thing to be in touch with one's emotions and another to be wholly honest and vulnerable with them when there is no character to play or script to bring to life.

Yet Austin Lin's cover shoot could not be more different than any day on set or an off-day hanging with friends or loved ones. He is at ease taking on another persona and coming to the foreground of a frame as himself.

Though it is not often that the word "perfect" is thrown around and used literally in creative settings, the 35-year-old Taiwanese actor's enthusiasm to explore adventurous photo concepts, his immediate ease in front of the camera and graciously warm words while on set of the five-hour shoot virtually demands its application.